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Expert Series: Leigh syndrome: A factory for making viruses?

February 2 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST

Previously, the McGuire group at NIH reported that children with mitochondrial disease in general experience serious infections which may last longer than expected. Cells impacted by mitochondrial disease present a unique environment that may be facilitative for viral replication. This relationship between compromised mitochondrial function and increased viral activity suggests a complex interplay where cellular energy deficits might inadvertently support the viral lifecycle.

About the Speaker

Peter McGuire, MS, MMBCh

Peter McGuire, MS, MMBCh

Dr. Peter McGuire received his bachelor's in psychology from Villanova University, a master's in microbiology and immunology from New York Medical College, and a M.B.B.Ch. with honors (equivalent to an M.D.) from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. After completing a combined residency in pediatrics and medical genetics at Mount Sinai Medical Center, he was awarded a fellowship in biochemical genetics from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genzyme. After completing his training, he remained as a junior faculty member in the Program for Inherited Metabolic Diseases at Mount Sinai. Dr. McGuire is board certified in Pediatrics, Clinical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics.

In 2010, Dr. McGuire moved to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to join the Physician Scientist Development Program to accelerate his translational research program. He was appointed to the position of tenure track investigator in 2016. Throughout his career, Dr. McGuire has been focused on improving the care of patients with disorders of mitochondrial metabolism. By combining his training in immunology and biochemical genetics, he fashioned a translational research program to understand host-pathogen interactions in disorders of mitochondrial metabolism.

His NIH Clinical Center protocols, the NIH MINI Study, is the first organized effort to study viral infection, immune function, and disease progression in patients with disorders of mitochondrial metabolism.